Considering they have both, for some time now, been staking their respective claims to being the strongest club in all of Southeast Asian football, it must be starting to really annoy Johor Darul Ta’zim that they just cannot seem to get one over Buriram United.
In their fifth meeting, which have all come in the past 18 months, JDT were once again unable to get a win in this ever-intensifying rivalry — falling to a 3-1 loss at their Sultan Ibrahim Stadium home in the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals.
And it was Buriram’s sheer precision that proved the difference as Guilherme Bissoli and Goran Čaušić scored with their only two shots on target in the entire game, giving them a handy lead to now defend in next week’s return encounter at Chang Arena.
Yet, it was a result that initially looked unlikely considering how dominant JDT were early on.
They had their first chance after just four minutes when Buriram goalkeeper Neil Etheridge got into a defensive mix-up with and found himself stranded outside the area as Nacho Méndez lobbed a shot over his head and towards the unguarded goal, only for Curtis Good to come to the rescue by getting back in time to make a clearance header just before the line.
The Southern Tigers continued to make all the early running and had their next proper sighting at goal in the 19th minute when Jairo embarked on a barnstorming run through the middle.
Although the crowd roared for him to have a go from the edge of the box, he unselfishly opted to play in the overlapping Óscar Arribas, who just took a second too long and allowed Sasalak Haiprakhon to apply enough pressure to force him to send a meek effort wide.
JDT’s high press, which was winning them possession in dangerous areas, then allowed Méndez to another effort from range which was disappointingly off target despite plenty of the goal to aim for, while Jairo then fired away with plenty of power but not finesse when he was picked out at the far post by a visionary 35-yard over-the-top pass from Nené.
The only thing that had prevented the hosts from establishing a commanding lead at this point was accuracy but, as it soon proved, it was just an attribute their opponents possessed.
Four minutes after the half-hour mark, with their first meaningful foray forward, Sasalak’s laser of a low left-wing delivery was pounced on by Bissoli, who had timed his run to perfection to just get in ahead of Eddy Israfilov and sweep home a clinical first-time finish into the bottom corner.
Up to this point, Buriram had no shots to JDT’s six. They only had 29% of possession. The most important numbers however were 0-1 on the scoreboard.
And right before halftime, with their second effort on goal, Buriram made it 2-0.
Having done brilliantly to hold up play and then break free down the left touchline, Bissoli originally overhit his pass to the intended recipient in Sasalak but there was no better person for the loose ball to fall to then Theerathon Bunmathan.
With a swing of his wand of a left foot, Theerathon hung a ball up inside the area that took out both defenders and landed perfectly onto the head of Čaušić — who made no mistake in diverting a header beyond Syihan Hazmi‘s despairing dive.
The visitors were now in an authoritative position and it did not take long for JDT’s frustration to show in the second half.
Shots were now being wildly fired away from distance as the build-up play from the first half fast evaporated.
In fact, the first time Etheridge had to be called into action came in the 67th minute and it was actually by his own player — with Good’s attempted tackle on Jairo actually inadvertently firing the ball towards his own goal and forcing his goalkeeper into a fine reflex save.
Then, JDT looked to have at least given themselves a lifeline ahead of next week’s trip to Thailand.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Ager Aketxe whipped in what was probably meant to be a cross but, as it took a deflection off Thanakrit Chotmuangpak, then looped over a hapless Etheridge and into the back of the net.
A one-goal deficit would have hardly been insurmountable yet there was still time for one final twist.
From the resultant kickoff, Buriram coolly worked their way out of a tight situation to release Peter Žulj — who advanced towards goal before clipping a ball over JDT’s last man for Bissoli to lash home his second of the evening.
At the final whistle, Buriram only had 32% of the ball and just three shots on target but it hardly mattered. Their sheer precision made sure of that.
In the battle to be the recognised as the best team in the region, winning the ASEAN Club Championship is a pretty good way to enhance one’s claim. That was exactly what Buriram did last season.
If JDT are to remain in the hunt and reach the final, they will have to finally figure out what they have failed to do in the past five occasions now: how to beat Buriram.
And by at least two goals at that.
